How can I help someone to manage their condition?

Make sure you are both clear about the medication they take, why they take it and how and when it’s best to take it.

Inhaled medicines work best if the inhaler is used in the right way.

There are lots of different inhalers and it can be hard to use them correctly. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to demonstrate the right way to use the inhaler. You can also check the technique by watching a short video.

Talk to health care professionals about the best ways you can work together to manage the condition. This may involve agreeing a plan with health care professionals about what to do if their symptoms flare up and, sometimes, keeping rescue medications at home.

You can help by encouraging the person you care for to do things to help themselves. These include:

Watch out for weight loss

If you care for someone who is losing weight without planning to, it’s very important to tell their health care professional. They may be at risk of malnutrition, which can weaken their breathing muscles and lead to chest infections. The doctor may be able to prescribe a nutritional supplement or refer them to a dietitian.

How do I care for someone who gets breathless?

It can be distressing seeing someone you care for struggling to breathe. And when they feel breathless, it can be hard to do everyday things and to keep active.

He runs out of breath so easily. Even getting dressed is a major production.

Monika

It can help to think ahead. For example:

agree which activities are priorities and plan the day so there is time to rest before and after them

suggest they do things in ways that affect their breathing less like sitting down to wash or prepare meals, or using a towelling robe after a shower to dry off

The person you care for can also learn ways to feel more in control of their breathing:

Ask a health care professional if pulmonary rehabilitation could help the person you look after. This is a course for people with lung conditions to help them keep active and learn more about their condition, including coping with feeling short of breath. If they are referred you can go along too!

Getting out of breath when you’re active helps

If someone avoids activities that make them breathless, their muscles will get weaker. Weaker muscles need more oxygen to work. The good news is that it’s possible to break this vicious cycle of inactivity. By becoming more active muscles get stronger, including breathing muscles. This will help people feel less out of breath as they do everyday things.

Sometimes I see people in the exercise class who are scared of getting breathless. But it’s important they keep exercising – and their carers encourage them to. Dave

If you care for someone who gets breathless, ask about getting pulmonary rehabilitation. It’s important to keep exercising after the course finishes.

There are lots of other ways to be active. Choose ones the person you look after enjoys – or that you enjoy doing together. As well as everyday activities like walking or gardening, they could take up activities like an exercise class, yoga, dancing and tai chi.

How can I help someone avoid infections that make their condition worse?

If you look after someone with a lung condition like bronchiectasis, COPD and pulmonary fibrosis, you’ll want to lower their chances of getting a chest infection or their symptoms getting suddenly worse – called a flare-up or an exacerbation.

If a flare-up makes them feel a lot more breathless than usual, they may also get anxious. Being anxious will, in turn, make them feel even more breathless. Have a look at our information on how to cope with anxiety, panic attacks and breathlessness

the benefits of going out and meeting other people against the risk of getting an infection

avoiding contact with anyone who you know has a cold or another illness. Your friends will understand

getting a flu jab

using an antibiotic gel

making sure you and everyone else covers their nose and mouth with a tissue when they sneeze

My first mission is to keep him clear of colds. Maxine

What can I do if the person I care for suddenly gets worse?

A lot of carers remember a time when the symptoms of the person they care for got worse suddenly and they couldn’t find a health care professional to ask what to do. It’s a good idea to ask ‘what if?’ before that happens to you, and also to watch for signs that a flare-up is on its way.

Whatever the condition of the person you care for, make sure you talk to their health care professionals about how their symptoms might get worse and what you can do if that happens. Ask about having standby medication at home. Ask what to do in an emergency too.

For some conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and asthma, where it’s more usual for symptoms to flare up, UK guidelines recommend the person you care for has a plan, agreed with health care professionals. The plan will set out signs to look out for, what to do and when to get emergency help. Your health care professional may also suggest you keep standby drugs at home, sometimes called a rescue pack.

Guidelines for treating less common conditions, such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, also say specialist teams should give clear information about managing the condition.

One point we always worried over was when Ron should take standby antibiotics when he had a cold. We’ve since been advised to take them at the first sign of a cold. In the early days, I felt unsure about pestering health care professionals for what seemed trivial things, but please never hesitate to ask. Ron nearly ended up with pneumonia as he didn’t take antibiotics soon enough. Maxine

How can I give emotional support as a carer?

As a carer you give both practical support and emotional support, like being a good listener.

Living with a lung condition can affect mental as well as physical health. This goes for carers too. It’s common to feel anxious or have symptoms of depression.

Remember that family, friends and other carers can also play their part. If you can get out to meet others at groups and activities the person enjoys, that will help the person you care for – and you too.

Keep as social as you can, go to groups, coffee mornings, dancing, anything to meet other people. I reckon a lot of the benefits of our exercise group come from socialising. Dave

If you have concerns or need advice, call our helpline on 03000 030 555 between 9am and 5pm on a weekday or email them.

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Last medically reviewed: November 2018. Due for review: November 2021

This information uses the best available medical evidence and was produced with the support of people living with lung conditions. Find out how we produce our information. If you’d like to see our references get in touch.